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I think he sees social niceties like red carpet as compliments to himself rather than his office and he is always looking for approval. It comes from his background always looking for ratings as a reality TV star.

Trump is a study in pathology, no question about it. He's a classic bully on the one hand but is also a bottomless pit of emotional neediness. (Or emotional greediness.) More than anything, he appears to crave approval, or perhaps a better word would be legitimacy. The Saudis quickly figured out, as did Macron in France, that the most effective way to deal with him was to butter him up. The Chinese learned that lesson also. Flatter him, make him feel important, and he goes from being aggressive to being almost obsequious.

Unfortunately, while he becomes very agreeable when flattered, he is also utterly untrustworthy due to his profound narcissism. He's entirely situational, and so anything he says in one moment expires a minute later. As soon as the person flattering him leaves his field of vision, that person becomes not a person but an abstraction to be dealt with entirely on the basis on how he or she affects Trump in that moment. In this respect he reminds me of those cases you hear about of brain-damaged individuals who can't retain a memory for more than a few seconds. You can be introduced to them and 10 seconds later it's like they never met you.

Trump is a study in pathology, no question about it. He's a classic bully on the one hand but is also a bottomless pit of emotional neediness. (Or emotional greediness.) More than anything, he appears to crave approval, or perhaps a better word would be legitimacy. The Saudis quickly figured out, as did Macron in France, that the most effective way to deal with him was to butter him up. The Chinese learned that lesson also. Flatter him, make him feel important, and he goes from being aggressive to being almost obsequious.

Unfortunately, while he becomes very agreeable when flattered, he is also utterly untrustworthy due to his profound narcissism. He's entirely situational, and so anything he says in one moment expires a minute later. As soon as the person flattering him leaves his field of vision, that person becomes not a person but an abstraction to be dealt with entirely on the basis on how he or she affects Trump in that moment. In this respect he reminds me of those cases you hear about of brain-damaged individuals who can't retain a memory for more than a few seconds. You can be introduced to them and 10 seconds later it's like they never met you.

That is largely (not entirely) my view of him as well. Nicely stated. Even if not entirely true, it is a good theoryof what makes him tick.

When CNN had a story on Trump vs the Clinton's I remarked to my DH, "Funny how Trump always accuses Clinton of lying when he's the BIGGEST liar in the universe." I was surprised when he said "I don't see it that way." I was shocked. DH did vote for Trump but he definitely is embarrassed about it now. I just don't see how anyone could disagree that Trump is a liar. He's incredibly dishonest, even though people love him for "tellin' it like it is." Most of the time Trump is tellin' it like it isn't.

"Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it--every, every minute?" Emily Webb, Our Townwww.silententry.wordpress.com

A lie is "a false statement made with deliberate intent to deceive; an intentional untruth". Bold mine.

What evidence do you have that Trump knows he is lying, that he intends to deceive? Another possible (and perhaps more frightening) explanation is that he simply lives in a mental reality of his own construction, and *believes* the things coming out of his mouth.

When CNN had a story on Trump vs the Clinton's I remarked to my DH, "Funny how Trump always accuses Clinton of lying when he's the BIGGEST liar in the universe." I was surprised when he said "I don't see it that way." I was shocked. DH did vote for Trump but he definitely is embarrassed about it now. I just don't see how anyone could disagree that Trump is a liar. He's incredibly dishonest, even though people love him for "tellin' it like it is." Most of the time Trump is tellin' it like it isn't.

Catherine ...if it’s not too much trouble, you think I could have DHs “Make America Great Again” hat? Especially if it was made in China?